Plumbing Inspection in Boyds, MD

Is the house on public water and sewer?

Boyds grew up as a railroad and dairy-farming village on the old B&O Metropolitan Branch and is still semi-rural around Black Hill Regional Park and Little Seneca Lake. WSSC Water is the public water and sewer utility for Montgomery County, but service in the Boyds area varies by address. Montgomery County assigns every property a water and sewer category, so the County, the seller's bills or the listing should tell you whether the house draws from a public main or a private well, and whether it's on municipal sewer or a private onsite wastewater system.

That answer shapes the visit. On public water, the plumber focuses on the service line where it enters, the main valve and pressure. On a well, they look at the pump controls, pressure tank and supply piping, and you'll want water testing arranged as well. If the house isn't on municipal sewer, the onsite system needs its own inspection by someone who handles those systems.

What does the plumber check inside?

Inside, the list is the same as anywhere: water heater age, relief valve and venting; supply and drain piping you can see; every fixture; laundry and outdoor connections; and signs of past leaks or freeze damage. Rural houses with outbuildings or long runs to a barn or garage add more piping to trace, and anything exposed to winter cold deserves a close look.

What if the home runs on propane?

Natural gas isn't available everywhere around Boyds, so some homes run on propane or electricity. WSSC Water issues permits for and inspects all natural gas and LP gas installations in Montgomery County, so a propane water heater or appliance replacement also needs a WSSC permit and a gasfitter registered with WSSC. Montgomery County's Department of Permitting Services handles building permits.

A local note

If you smell gas, leave the house first, then call 911 and your gas utility, or your propane supplier if the home uses a tank, from outside. Before the visit, ask the seller for any well, pump or onsite system records and the age of the water heater, and note whether the house has sat empty, since a vacant winter can leave split pipes behind.